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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26073037">I'm Thinking Of You All The While</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWannaDoBadThingsWithYou237/pseuds/IWannaDoBadThingsWithYou237'>IWannaDoBadThingsWithYou237</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCIS</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU Season 14, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, No Jake, Soulmate AU, Team as Family</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:55:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,882</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26073037</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWannaDoBadThingsWithYou237/pseuds/IWannaDoBadThingsWithYou237</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Soulmate AU: Nick/Ellie: On your birthday when you turn eighteen you get contact with your soulmate despite not knowing anything about them. </p><p>Nick and Ellie throughout the years. AU Season 11-Season 14/. Potentially M Rated. </p><p>A beginning of sorts: Nick and Ellie find each other for the first time. But there are as always complications.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>148</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Last Known Surroundings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi, so here is another story, my first for this fandom and this wonderful pairing but certainly not the last. I really hope you all enjoy this. </p><p>This story is about nine chapters long and does jump around a bit. The first couple of chapters will be Season 11-13 and then we hit Season 14. This story will end around the end of Season 14. </p><p>Disclaimer-Nothing here is mine just this story plot. </p><p>Spelling and grammar are also not my best gift so please keep that in mind. </p><p>Anything in italics is thoughts shared between Nick and Ellie.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The general rule of thumb is when you turn eighteen you hear your soulmate’s voice on your birthday. If your soulmate is not eighteen however your birthday can go by in a flash until you do. And while scientists have studied this phenomenon more than they have studied anything else in the history of the civilised world they still cannot figure out how it happens, how you are chosen or how you can communicate in your head with them.</p><p>You get two days a year to speak to your soulmate. Your birthday and their birthday. If you attempt to tell them anything about yourself such as your name, or where to find them then the communication stops. It’s harsh, it’s hell, and if they die…</p><p>Eleanor Raye ‘Ellie’ Bishop had grown up in a world where soulmates and the laws surrounding them were considered gospel. Her mother and father had met each other by accident one day. She’d been visiting her grandmother when her car had broken down and he’d been the driver who had pulled over to offer assistance. They had recognised each other when they had spoken their first words and then had fallen head over heels when they had realised that they were soulmates.</p><p>Ellie had always thought that was the most romantic thing she had ever heard and it was the bedtime story she listened to before she went to sleep every night until she was six.</p><p>Of course what she didn’t realise until she was fourteen was that little meeting had led to her brother Rob being conceived in the backseat of her mother’s car which had once she had learnt the truth rather dampened the dream that what happened to her parents would happen to her.</p><p>Either way the night of her eighteenth birthday Ellie had spent the entire night on tender hooks. She had waited and waited. And she had received nothing.</p><p>It had been crushing to say the least but Ellie had grown up with three brothers so she was used to waiting. She carried on her degree in college, she found during the year she turned nineteen that despite the fact she heard nothing in her head she had a knack for getting into other’s heads. She liked playing mental games of chess, planning and analysing—it was easier than pretending that her heart wasn’t crushed because still nobody had bothered to answer her questions, her conversations, her words weather they were in jest, anger, or sorrow.</p><p>The NSA she knew had their eye on her when she was nineteen and she had submitted on a whim a paper to a think tank that they were running with college students two, three years ahead of her in their studies. She had been mulling over dinner weather or not go with pasta or just to pig out on pizza and she had wondered weather or not coding on food packages could become secret messages. She had been half into the bottle of red wine when she had sent it off.</p><p>A month later she got a response. And an internship which later led to the promise of a job. It was quick and it was fast paced and it distracted her from the empty noise in her head and the fact that she was slowly beginning to give up hope that her soulmate was out there.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ellie met Jake Mallory on her first day at the NSA. He was young, sweet and didn’t judge her for the fact that she liked to work on the floor with old jeans and a jumper on. He didn’t judge her, her stash of cookies and she never judged him for the obscene amount of sweeteners he put in his coffee. He had a bright smile and was always there for any advice. It was hard not to fall for him. And there were nights when she wished deep down that he was her soulmate despite the fact that Jake’s birthday came and went and no connection between the two of them was made.</p><p>She wanted to cry. Ellie had been raised in with the traditional values of the soulmate ideology. Therefore she had not really dated. Not really had a partner or a lover. She had cried after she had lost her virginity at seventeen because she had been convinced she had ruined everything.</p><p>And now she was getting pissed off.</p><p>If he didn’t want her, whoever he was, wherever he was then that was his loss.</p><p>Or that might be too much wine the night before and a phone call from George.</p><p>Either way on the night of her twenty third birthday Ellie had given up on hearing the voice. She had been mulling over Jake’s request for a date. He had asked before and she had always managed to put him off claiming that she was waiting for her soulmate but she had been waiting too long now. If he was alive, if he was of age, he clearly didn’t want to know her.</p><p>So what if she went out on a date with Jake? Perhaps they would have sex. Move in together, get married, have children? Would it be the same. No. But it would be something that she could cling too. She wanted a wedding, she wanted a white dress and coffee morning and slow sleepy sex, she wanted children.</p><p>Perhaps Jake—</p><p>
  <em>“No” </em>
</p><p>Ellie dropped her wine glass. It shattered spreading red wine all over the floor and glass into both big pieces and little pieces. She had worn socks which was a small mercy but she thought that it would take nothing short of an act of God to distract her from what she was going through right now. Six years of agony and now ‘He’ was responding to her?</p><p>
  <em>“No. No. No. No” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No, look…I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I wasn’t there but there’s a good reason for it. I was deep under—no shit—if I say to much—look please respond, I get that you don’t want to hear anything from me…but please…don’t”</em>
</p><p>Ellie stopped dead. There was something about his last sentences, the fact that they had become pleas and a rush of garbled words that made her think that he was serious. She debated for a split second and then gave in. She had after all been waiting far, far to long for this to pass up the opportunity.</p><p>
  <em>“Six years is a long time to keep a girl waiting” </em>
</p><p>Brilliant Eleanor, she thought to herself. Brilliant first words to your soulmate and there utter crap.</p><p><em>“I know” </em>said the voice tentatively and Ellie listened closely this time. It took her a second to sense the accent to the words, American but not without some sort of Latin syntax. Thank God this was part of her job.</p><p>
  <em>“Why shouldn’t I move on? You clearly don’t want a soulmate."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No I do…it’s…I’ve been in a position where I couldn’t reply. But I listened. All the time on both your birthday and mine and—Corazón—I swear to you, you, hearing your voice saved my life on more than one occasion”</em>
</p><p>Ellie poured herself another glass of wine with shaking hands. He sounded genuine, and desperate. And if he was undercover or something like that then she supposed he could hardly hold conversations with someone. She knew that working for the NSA. She had seen more than her fair share of incidents where soulmates had been the catalyst for something terrible happening. And…and he was here, he seemed interested. The thing she had most wanted since she was a child was finally happening. She would be a fool to pass it up.</p><p>And nobody would say that Ellie Bishop was a fool.</p><p>Her silence had obviously panicked her soulmate as she heard in her head utter desperation.</p><p>
  <em>“Corazón?!”</em>
</p><p><em>“Sorry” </em> she said finally snapping back to reality. <em>“Can we start again?”</em></p><p>There was a relieved laugh and something that sounded suspiciously to Ellie like a sob. She decided to ignore it even though her heart thudded in pain.</p><p>
  <em>“Sure we can. I promise you I will never ignore you again. We can talk about everything and anything you want.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“It would be easier to know your birthday, that is covered under the exempt laws.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“November 21<sup>st</sup>” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“And mine is today obviously July 18<sup>th</sup>” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I know. I live for that day. I cannot tell you how much.”</em>
</p><p>Despite it all Ellie felt herself blush.</p><p>
  <em>“Flatter” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Truth babe, truth”</em>
</p><p>She could feel him relax over the connection, could feel him sigh in relief almost as she accepted the connection. Ellie took a sip of wine and then another big gulp. She needed all the courage she could get to do this even if it was in the form that she was forced to endure right now.</p><p>Suddenly it felt like hope had been restored!</p><p>God what a thought.</p><p>She bit her bottom lip and then finished off her wine pouring herself another glass. After all she had until midnight until this connection ended.</p><p>
  <em>“Do you ever…do you ever wish we could meet? I mean…perhaps it’s a possibility?”</em>
</p><p>Ellie blamed the wine on the fact that her prowess at the English language seemed to have disappeared quite rapidly.</p><p>
  <em>“More than you could ever know”</em>
</p><p>Ellie smiled despite herself.</p><p>
  <em>“So what do we talk about?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Maybe about what I do when I finally find you?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh?”</em>
</p><p><em>“Yeah. Baby If you don’t mind me saying so I am gonna cook you dinner and then I’m going to lie you back and dedicate every second to ensuring your pleasure” </em>There was something to his tone that made her toes curl even as she was sitting down at her own kitchen table, maybe even thousands of miles away. She didn’t have to look in the mirror to know that she was blushing.</p><p>She dithered wondering what her response would be. Ellie was never the kind of girl who could push forwards with things like this. Boys, men especially. She had always been shy also having three brothers had rather dampened the rather limited dating life she had indulged in in High School.</p><p><em>“Can’t wait” </em>she said taking another gulp of wine. She was an analyst for one of the worlds leading security agencies for the love of God. Surely she could manage a conversation with her soulmate without sounding like a nervous teenager?</p><p><em>“I’m sorry” </em>she said finally when the silence got too much. <em>“I’ve imagined what I would say to you since I was six and now It’s come about I have no idea what to say or do. It feels like one wrong move and this thing could just disappear. Or is that just me?”</em></p><p>There was a sound as if someone had taken a breath and then let it go again.</p><p>
  <em>“Me too. Can we…can we start again, again? I mean start with something simple. I’ve only been able to catch snapshots of what you’ve said over the years. Tell me all about your farm and your three brothers and I can tell you everything and anything you want to know about me” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Anything and everything.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I am yours…all of it if you want it, all of me is yours heart and soul. God…I never thought, I never thought I would feel like this for anyone. I always thought it was an exaggeration.”</em>
</p><p><em>“I never did” </em>Ellie said thoughtfully. <em>“I was always waiting. Have been since I was told the story of my Mom and Dad. Right up until I found out that was how my brother was conceived. Kinda dulled the romance…do you…I mean can I ask…do you want kids?” </em></p><p>She tried to hide her nervousness at the question because she knew that a lot hinged on the answer. Despite the events of this birthday, Ellie was still Ellie and she knew who she was and what she wanted. And she wanted children.</p><p>
  <em>Like I said baby, everything and anything as long as I’ve got you”</em>
</p><p>Ellie wanted to laugh at the cheesiness of the statement and the teasing lilt that came with it but she could sense the undercurrent of seriousness, the dedication, the desire and something else bubbling under the surface that she had dreamed about having with her soulmate but had never really envisioned herself getting as six long, lonely birthdays had gone by in silence.</p><p><em>“Ok then” </em>she said feeling a smile curl around her face.</p><p><em>“Can you promise me something?” </em>he asked and he sounded so unsure that all Ellie wanted to do was to comfort him. He could have asked her for the moon and she would have found a way to get it too him in this moment when her heart was beating too fast in her chest and she wanted nothing more to do than to sink into the warmth of her soulmate’s voice.</p><p>
  <em>“Sure?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Never see this Jake again” </em>
</p><p>Ellie laughed, she couldn’t help it. She was just…happy in this moment.</p><p>
  <em>“Promised. After all whose Jake compared with you?” </em>
</p><p>And they carried on for most of the night. Just Ellie and her unnamed soulmate who was (though she didn’t know it) in an apartment in Mexico on an undercover assignment (and gearing up for the next one) staring out the window as if he could rip the world to shreds just to find her and be by her side.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Leave A Light On</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>For Nick Torres soulmates were just something he had never really considered himself having. Then he heard her…the voice in his head. But he had a career that meant he couldn’t easily communicate…until she decides to move on…then all bets are off the table.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, here is the second chapter and i will update with the third as soon as i can. Thank you all so much for your kind words so far. </p>
<p>Next chapter does slowly begin to build towards Season 14. </p>
<p>Disclaimer-Nothing here is mine. </p>
<p>Spelling and grammar are not my strongest area so please keep that in mind.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nicholas Torres had grown up hearing stories about soulmates…granted most children did good or bad. His parents had found each other but had been ripped apart in the space of one night when his father had walked away when he was five and had not responded to his mother’s attempts to communicate with his even as the grew more and more desperate with each passing year.</p>
<p>When the cancer eventually got his mother, when she finally succumbed Nick had wondered at the delicate age of sixteen if perhaps his father had heard or felt it and if that had made the bastard think twice about what he had put the woman who was supposed to complete him through.</p>
<p>Soulmates were not for everyone. Nick was not that naïve. Lucia had found her soulmate by nineteen. She had gone into the military as a way to pay for law school and her soulmate had been her training instructor. It had been romantic and silly and they had married, forged careers with the other and then had their daughter his niece Amanda. It had been almost picture perfect for them.</p>
<p>Nick had chosen the slightly more…eccentric route. He was not cut out to be behind a desk with a soulmate, a white picket fence and two kids by the time he was twenty five. He was designed to do something…anything that involved action and saving people. Being a cop was easy. Being a federal agent was even easier.</p>
<p>Even if it did not give you all that you wanted.</p>
<p>Nick had been eighteen when he had heard his soulmates voice in his head. She had been young, American by her accent, hint of country and Nick just pulled out of the academy and on his way to attempt to take down a Portuguese human trafficker sat back and imagined fields and cows and horses and wind coming off the river and all the shit he used to tease Lucia about being corny and how it was real.</p>
<p>And then he was slapped on the back by the man he was working, and passed a gun and Nick realised with a sinking feeling that he couldn’t communicate with her because the danger he was in would get him killed…and there she would be on the other end of the line or whatever it was you wanted to call it and would hear everything. Everything and anything. And he could not do that to her.</p>
<p>He shut off the connection. He had heard of people who did this for whatever reason or who lost the connection due to trying to find ways around the barriers that stopped them from sharing names and looks and location.</p>
<p>That night when it was way past midnight and he couldn’t hear her anymore he went back to his shitty room, wrapped himself up in a sheet and shook like he was going through withdrawal.</p>
<p>That was just one birthday.</p>
<p>That went on for nearly six years.</p>
<p>He had been in Mexico watching the clean up of the Pedro Hernandez cartel (and he had no idea how or who had cleaned them up only that the director considered it a job well done and well left alone) when he had heard her pop across the communication barrier. He thought about it looking out over the ocean as he sat in the sand beer clasped in his fingers. It had been a good day. It had been a good year…he was entitled to a few months off and maybe even a lighter workload, Vance clearly didn’t seem to want him running missions though something at an international training academy seemed to keep cropping up in discussions. What harm would it do this year to break the cycle and actually have a conversation with this wonderful woman who he listened to ramble twice a year and who he knew he was falling in love with.</p>
<p>And he was…she was lovely. She talked about everything and anything, she clearly worked in a government job which she chattered about constantly, she chattered about her home and her three brothers and her Mom and her Dad. She seemed to talk a lot about food. Some of her best ideas for work seemed to come whenever food was discussed. She seemed to want to talk about what she would cook for him if she caught up with him. Nick hoped it was one of those nights, he had not had one of those nights in years though he could understand why. He wanted to bask in her voice telling him that she was going to cook dinner for him when she met him, that she had a little black dress set aside for him and heals that she’d properly not wear due to the fact that they hurt and—<em>how Nick had wanted to interrupt and say that he’d carry her if that was the case</em>—but the last couple of times that he had heard her she had sounded almost sad…</p>
<p>And how Nick had wanted to chime in and tell her about his day (though he suspected hearing about how he had, had a gun pointed at him before he and the perp had crashed through an upper story window would not have helped somewhat). He thought about it sat there listening to the one sided conversation and then something filtered through. Something he had not heard before. Actually someone.</p>
<p>Jake.</p>
<p>Who the hell was Jake? He had never heard that name before. And…</p>
<p>Nick listened in disbelief, a steady mounting anger and a panic that had settled so deep into his bones it was like he had gone two shades colder. He felt like he was going to be sick listening to her talk to herself <em>(God she wasn’t even talking to him anymore was she?) </em> she was talking about this Jake and if she went on a date with him and if she got married to him and if she got pregnant…</p>
<p>Nick dropped his beer onto the sand his fingers curling through the grains and feeling them chafe against his skin. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing he just knew he had to stop it. The thought of losing this woman made his stomach heave and he had to choke back vomit. She couldn’t marry anyone but him. He wanted to be the one in the suit that saw her come down the isle in the white dress, he wanted to be woken up in the morning with slow sleepy kisses and cuddles and coffee, he wanted the small children with this woman…with his soulmate’s ability to chatter endlessly about anything and anything. This was his future, the thing that one more than one occasion had kept him alive and he would be damned if this <em>Jake</em>…whoever the hell he was, was going to take that away from him.</p>
<p>He looked up over the sunset and the ocean and knew he was bleeding something terrible, the pain of this future slipping through his fingers like sand…he had heard stories of people who had left their connection open and had listened to their soulmates moved on but he had never…</p>
<p>He said the only thing he could think off in that moment. It bleed through his mind and the connection between the two of them faster and stronger than any other emotion he had felt before. It was one word. It was simple. It was certainly how he felt.</p>
<p>
  <em>“No” </em>
</p>
<p>The voice stopped talking. There was silence down the line and Nick had a sudden terrifying premonition of what his life could be like from now on.</p>
<p>No voice on his birthday.</p>
<p>No voice in his ear ever.</p>
<p>No soulmate to meet or grow old with.</p>
<p>Nothing.</p>
<p>Nothing.</p>
<p>Suddenly he felt terror the like he had never felt crash into him. And he stared down the barrels of guns for a living.</p>
<p>
  <em>“No, No, No, No”  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“No look, I’m sorry that I wasn’t there but there’s a good reason for it. I was deep under—no shit—if I say to much—look please respond, I get that you don’t want to hear anything from me…but please…don’t”</em>
</p>
<p>Don’t leave me out in the cold he thought desperately. Don’t leave me here alone for the rest of my life. Please…</p>
<p>And then after a lifetime and a half of waiting and half a lifetime of wondering he heard the voice speak to him directly and he found that he nearly collapsed crying in sheer, utter, relief.</p>
<p><em>Thank God. </em>He thought to himself.</p>
<p><em>“Why shouldn’t I move on.” </em> she said and Nick could just imagine her stood there her expression one of fury and one no doubt that he utterly deserved.</p>
<p>
  <em>“You clearly don’t want a soulmate” </em>
</p>
<p>And suddenly it was like the sun came out and Nick knew…he knew how that sounded but It was. There was some form of communication here and he knew that even if he was bleeding on the side of the street he was never shutting this woman out of his head again.</p>
<p>She kept him in silence for another long time and then only when Nick was close to begging her again and again until there was nothing left for him to beg her for and then she spoke. She spoke about starting again and Nick could have cried expect he had just got his soulmate speaking to him and he didn’t think that hearing him cry would confirm to her that she had made the right decision.</p>
<p><em>“Sure we can” </em>He said promising her. He had come this close to losing the one person he was made for. He was not going to make that mistake again. He carried on letting her know that for him at the very least this was for keeps.</p>
<p>It seemed that they were making some…small headway at least when she told him her birthday and he told her his. He told her as truthfully as he could—still emotionally raw and open, his wounds on show for anyone to see—that he had lived for the day her voice came into his head even if he didn’t reply. He wanted to tell her that with his job any kind of lapse in judgement was dangerous. He could get killed, she could hear it. But he had heard enough horror stories of people who broke their connection and never got it back by over sharing. Nick didn’t think he could stand that risk.</p>
<p>His soulmate interrupted his musing by telling him he was a flatter. Nick could hear a flicker of amusement in her voice and wondered if perhaps he was out of the dog house. He decided to be brave. And when she talked about meeting him, talked about what they would do together, how much they both wanted this, he thought that the world that had been so cold as to give him a father that didn’t care, and too take away his mother might have given him a break.</p>
<p>Perhaps they had taken away his mother too soon because God (and he had never really believed before now) had given him an angel in his soulmate.</p>
<p>Nick picked up his beer and took another long gulp of what was left. That was getting too cheesy even for him.</p>
<p>They spoke for a little in their satisfied silence about what they wanted to do when they did meet. Nick answered as truthfully and as cockily as he could that he would make dinner and then spend hours finding ways to make this amazing woman moan his name. That got a giggle that was so adorable that Nick thought it was one of the most perfect things he had ever heard. He could listen to it on repeat and he once again cursed the fact that he only got two nights a year to hear this woman speak when he wanted to her this voice everyday for the rest of his life.</p>
<p>But he also wanted to spread out this woman on his bed, on any bed and show her that the last six years of one sided communication was a mistake. That the time she had spent wondering if he was on the end of their connection was not wasted. He wanted to kiss her, make love to her, mould their lips and their bodies together and make sure that whoever this Jake was she never thought of him again, she never even considered him because Nick was going to ensure that she never had to wonder weather or not someone out there was waiting for her.</p>
<p>He looked down at the beer smiling slightly as she began to talk about the ‘anything and everything’ he’d asked for in more detail. He had never considered himself the kind of man who went soft whenever his soulmate spoke to him—actually he had never really believed in them that much at all. But now…</p>
<p>But now…</p>
<p>And he still had one more thing to ask. One more and tomorrow when this long, glorious day and night was over and it would be the one thing that he would <em>cling </em>to when he suspected the adrenaline from this conversation both hit him and left him in various stages.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Never see this Jake again” </em>
</p>
<p>She laughed and Nick found himself relaxing a little bit as he carried on into the night chatting with his soulmate.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And there you go, see you with the publication of the third chapter. </p>
<p>Feedback is always appreciated.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Life On Mars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ellie joins NCIS and meets her new colleagues each with a different story. Nick gets a new posting and things finally begin to take shape. M Rated moments in this chapter.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, so here is another chapter, There are some M Rated moments in this chapter and there will be an M Rated chapter further on in this story. </p><p>And Yay! Ellie is at NCIS in this chapter, the next one will be just before Season 14. </p><p>Disclaimer-Nothing is mine just this little plot bunny. </p><p>And spelling/grammar and the rest are not my strongest suit so i do apologise for any inaccuracies.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Two years later things were a very different story. Ellie had been working on a project for the NSA when she had felt someone looking at her and had turned to see NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs watching her with an eye that made her feel he could see right through her to the heart below that beat only for her soulmate. She had met him and his colleague Tony DiNozzo who was both charming and obnoxious in a way that she might have once been attracted to had she not lived for the two dates where that voice would enter her head and croon to her in a way that made her toes curl and that was even before they had gotten to the best part of the night.</p><p>She had found herself sat on the edge of a mortuary slab looking through a report she had written on the fly when she had come through the door at one in the morning and ate whatever she had in the cupboard at the time. Somehow someone had gotten a hold of it and had bugged the Secretary of the Navy which was bad but yet at the same time Ellie had never had anyone use her reports for anything other than bedtime reading so despite the very real concerns that the NCIS Agents had she had given herself a second to smile in triumph in the mirror.</p><p>She had met the medical examiner Ducky, his assistant Jimmy who she thought was adorable in a rather geeky kind of way and then Timothy McGee who was another agent. Abby the forensic scientist was the last person that she had met and Ellie could honestly say that she had never met another person quite like her.</p><p>She was amazed however at how open everyone was especially when they were taking about soulmates. In the NSA they generally didn’t talk about soulmates, it was one of those subjects that you didn’t talk about unless you were several glasses of wines in. Here at NCIS they talked about their soulmates constantly.</p><p>Also what was unusual was Ellie had met today two people who had lost their soulmates. She couldn’t imagine the agony that Director Vance and Agents Gibbs went through losing their soulmates, the thought of losing that voice in her head made her hands shake and yet here they were carrying on as if it was normal.</p><p>Tony DiNozzo also had a soulmate who was currently living in Israel, she had been the agent who had been here before Ellie had been here and though Ellie had no idea what had happened between them Tony still spoke of Ziva with fondness in his voice. Tim had a voice but not a face to his soulmate and so did Abbey and Jimmy had met and married his soulmate by the name of Breena. She hadn’t got the chance to ask Ducky about his soulmate and there was something about the way he carried himself that made her want to fall back on her experience at the NSA which was to not ask.</p><p>All of that was before lunch.</p><p>All of that was before Jeff was killed.</p><p>They had solved the case because one thing Ellie had learnt was that Gibbs had an utter determination to get to the truth. It was difficult to resist the pull that he attracted and he seemed to have a knack for reading people even before he had met them. Ellie who had no desire for field work before this had suddenly found herself writing an essay that night on why she would make a good field agent for NCIS. Besides…perhaps it was time for a change.</p><p>She got in to the training academy, got a job with Gibbs and had shot and killed a man all before her next birthday and when she had taken the day off (claiming that she was entitled to some holiday time though she suspected that Gibbs knew the truth If the small sad smile on his face was anything to go by) it was a very different Ellie who was waiting for that voice that she had clung to during the nights where she had been cold, wet, shaking and on more than one occasion convinced she was going to die.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>She felt him before she heard him. She was in the middle of making her ultimate comfort food (steak sandwiches with the bread and the butter that made her bloat considerably) and brewing her strongest pot of coffee when she knew she was not alone anymore. He had a vibe to him that made the muscles in her muscles relax in a way a massage never could and though she never told him, made her heart thud, her body begin to anticipate what would happen later and desire to flare in her stomach coiling until she was so high strung that when he did start speaking she could be left gasping for air afterwards.</p><p>All of that happened before she heard him of course. He simply seemed to have that affect on her. God she loved him, he was hers and even though it was not enough—would never be enough she found that in this moment when the pleasure began to build and she could almost cry with the joy of hearing him again it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore.</p><p>
  <em>“Hello darlin” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hi” </em>
</p><p><em>“Gods I’ve missed you” </em>he said finally as if he too wanted a moment to bask in the warm glow that seemed to come when they were together. Ellie felt herself smile as she took a seat on her bed curling around her pillow. She was dressed in her old leggings and a jumper, nothing special and it was cold in Washington, yet her skin felt like it was on fire.</p><p><em>“You sound tired” </em>she said finally.</p><p><em>“It’s been a long couple of months” </em>he agreed. <em>“And I’ve had to live of the memories of your voice. Tell me darling what’s new” </em></p><p>
  <em>“I took a new job. With some interesting people. I can’t tell you much about it of course but I had to do some deep physical training for it. I’m glad to report that all my excess fat has gone.”</em>
</p><p>There was a snort down the connection and Ellie grinned despite herself.</p><p>
  <em>“Please, like I care what size you are. Your perfect to me in every way. And I still want to cook for you. You still got the obsession with salted caramel?” </em>
</p><p>Ellie groaned just at the thought and felt a low chuckle reverberate through her mind, through her body, through her very soul.</p><p><em>“Monster” </em>she teased grinning. <em>“Teasing me like this” </em></p><p>
  <em>“Oh trust me darling I haven’t even begun to describe what I will do when I finally get you in my arms.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You seem to do a pretty good job every year” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yeah well that’s just talking, anyone can do that. Once I get the opportunity to hold you, I can assure you you’ll be burning calories. So many calories in fact.” </em>
</p><p>Ellie smiled again.</p><p><em>“Happy birthday” </em>she said finally.</p><p><em>“Thanks angel” </em>came the soft reply <em>“I wish I could spend it with you” </em></p><p>Ellie had to blink away the tears that came rather rapidly at that. Sometimes the loneliness hit her so hard her teeth hurt. She wanted to curl up next to him and let him hold her and never feel alone again.</p><p>There was a pause as she tried to figure out her feelings and the voice came back and this time he sounded scared, sad, sorry and Ellie wanted to cry all over again because to be so near but yet so far was just not fair.</p><p>
  <em>“Darlin? Hey darling come back please. Look I’m sorry we can only talk about happy things. Promise. Look I got a new posting too. So things are looking up for us” </em>
</p><p>She forced herself to breath for a second and then smiled running a finger under her eyes to get rid of any water. She only got two nights with him, she was going to make the most of it. She had to make the most of it.</p><p><em>“Sorry” </em>she said finally. <em>“I don’t want to ruin tonight so we won’t talk about it. It’s…tell me about your posting…are you somewhere warm?” </em></p><p>
  <em>“Yeah, so far. Nice and hot, great food, we should travel here. You still up for taking a few months off?”</em>
</p><p>Ellie smiled as she climbed out of her sweats into her underwear turning a little so that she could see herself in the mirror. As sad as it sounded (especially considering it was not like her soulmate was here to see her) she kept specific underwear for nights like this. Now she was wearing a black lace set, which included lace panties and a lace bra in black and white silk with lace.</p><p><em>“Oh yeah.” </em>She said finally. <em>“And your going to take me someplace warm and hot where I’m going to moan about getting sun burnt”</em></p><p>
  <em>“Yeah…and I’ll be able to hold you all the time and talk to you and never be mid flow when the connection just…goes…” </em>
</p><p>Ellie smiled at the mirror knowing that it was a bitter smile. They were just passing time until they were together. It seemed like nothing and yet it was everything.</p><p><em>“You want to know what I’m wearing for you?” </em>she asked finally trying to defuse the tension. There was a pause and then a throaty chuckle in which Ellie could feel the heat coming from the connection. She could imagine him in some small apartment somewhere in the world listening to her and she stretched back on her bed pulling her hair loose from it’s tie and settling in for a really long night of nothing but pleasure and loving and being loved.</p><p>
  <em>“Go on. And please, do not spare me any details. Believe me the more I can imagine the better”</em>
</p><p><em>“Black lace panties and a black and white lace and satin bra that right now I am taking off” </em>she said unhooking the clasp and letting it drop to the side of the bed. The groan she heard was practically obscene and she felt her nipples grow hard just at the sound of it.</p><p>
  <em>“You know what I am wearing?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Nothing. I’m here all alone thinking of you. Hard for you. Aching for you. God I bet you look stunning splayed out over your bed right now. God I can’t wait to get you alone in bed, I swear I’ll never let you go again” </em>
</p><p>It was part desire for the sex they had over this connection and desperation for him, for his touch, for his body for the hard body she imagined would be moulded to hers. Her soulmate generally did the talking, over the course of the four birthdays they had spent together doing the talking when it came to sex. He liked to talk while she gasped and moaned under the words, she thought he got a kick out of it, making her fall apart and by God did he make her fall apart. They stretched it out hours they started out in bed and then when Ellie would go for a shower he would start again and she would be trembling and then exhausted, would have to make herself another strong expresso and then chances were he would attempt to get her off again with soft words of how she was gorgeous and how she was the most beautiful creature in the world which Ellie was sure was false. Either way she would always be rocking the best realise of her life, she would always be sore in the morning and she would always miss him even more when the connection suddenly cut out when the week sun hit the window pane.</p><p><em>“I love you” </em>she said desperately. <em>“I love you, I love you, I love you” </em></p><p>
  <em>“Right back at you darling. God so, so much. You have no idea how good it is to know that there’s someone out there waiting for me. Keeps me going, on more than one occasion it’s kept me alive” </em>
</p><p>Ellie wanted to say something back but she thought she might ruin the moment and burst into tears if she did that. She didn’t. Time between the two of them was so precious as it was. Besides if the last year was anything to go by she was going to cry as soon as the sun rose anyway.</p><p><em>“Well then” </em>she says finally and her tone is teasing she hopes and not as unsteady as she feels. <em>“You better tell me how much then so I don’t forget” </em></p><p>As if she could ever forget. But it brought back the throaty chuckle that she loved so much and as she leaned back against the pillows for a second, a minute and one endlessly perfect night Ellie Bishop could forget how lonely she was and just enjoy precious time she was granted with her soulmate.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Feedback is as always adored. I will try and get the next chapter published as soon as possible and I will endeavour to do it as soon as i can.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Don't Go Dark On Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nick’s halfway through a conversation with his soulmate when his life turns upside down. It brings about consequences that not even he could see. </p><p>Potentially some M Rated moments and further chapters later on. First Chapter that takes place during Season 14.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi and here you are, the next chapter, I hope you all enjoy and the next chapter will i hope be up soon. </p><p>Disclaimer-Nothing is mine, Please enjoy. </p><p>As always spelling and grammar are not my strongest factor. </p><p>Some M Rated Moments.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He had deflected from Elana's attempt to take him out for dinner and drinks. She had been all coy and flirtatious asking him if he was after a night with his soulmate and Nick had had to laugh and force an excuse that her brother had kicked his ass so hard in training that all he wanted was a hot bath and a beer and wouldn’t it be much nicer if she went out to that hot new club and celebrate with her girlfriends?</p><p>He had let himself in to his apartment and sat watching the sun go down over the little town, feeling the heat stick to his skin, the chatter of the people down below and as always the life and sweat and dust of Argentina.</p><p>Nick had cooked and ate methodically, he could cook and cook well but there was no point in making big dishes of food with colour and spice and flavour if there was nobody to share with him. He stripped his shirt and then his jeans down to his boxers, locked his door and then waited his hand clutching his beer sat on the bed and waited.</p><p>It always went like this, it was now nearly five years and every year on two days of the year he was always sat down waiting for her.</p><p>He always stripped down both out of necessity (the heat was always cloying regardless of whose birthday it was) and to tell the truth it was as little bit of calculation in it as well. He liked to be half undressed when she spoke to him, he liked to hear her voice and feel the reactions it brought out of his body. He wanted to be able to slide his hand down his front and reach into his boxers and imagine his calloused hand was replaced with something smaller and delicate. Nick was a man after all and there was something about his soulmate’s voice that made the breath catch in his throat and his dick grow hard in his boxers. He did tend to walk around naked after they made love but walking around before when his eighty year old catholic neighbour was taking tea on her balcony had led to several rather awkward conversations with both her and that one time with her priest.</p><p>When they did get together on these nights he would do the talking, she liked that he knew and if he was being honest he would prefer it. He wanted her to know that when he found her he was going to spread her out on the nearest flat surface weather it be bed or table or floor and then he would spend hours worshiping her, certainly he had told her last birthday he intended to spend hours with his head between her legs and he had been responded with a throaty moan that had turned rapidly into a scream of pleasure that had made him shout loudly and which had reverberated around his ears for months to come.</p><p>He gripped the beer and took another gulp feeling the condensation against his hot hand and what he knew would be his even hotter face. Just thinking about tonight, the heat and the fire that came when he spoke to her, the love coating his mind and his heart when he was with her.</p><p>The aftermath…the loneliness and the pain and the bitter, bitter withdrawals and aftershocks were worth those moments. His soulmate was like a drug and when she was taken from him he often found that he would curl up in bed in complete contrast to how he usually was and would stay there mourning the loss before he found the nearest bottle of strong alcohol (always kept hidden for the morning after) and drank himself into oblivion. Then the day after it was a punishing workout at the gym and then Nick found that he could at least carry on without the huge loss in his world and then by the time the month was out he was carrying on as close to normal as he suspected it was possible to be.</p><p>She came into his subconiousness like she always did, gently with just a bit of probing and Nick had to wonder with a sudden flash of guilt if it was because she was still nervous about his reply.</p><p>He sat up off the bed feeling the excitement course through his veins at the mere mental connection that they had. How he was going to cope when he eventually did come face to face with her he really couldn’t think.</p><p><em>“Hello” </em>came the voice and Nick let out a breath that he didn’t know that he had been holding. He felt the tension release from his shoulders and he grinned even though she couldn’t see it.</p><p><em>“Hello darling” </em>he said letting his voice mould around the words. He heard her little giggle at the endearment and closed his eyes imagining her ready for him glass of wine and dinner on the side and dressed in the underwear she said she kept for him.</p><p>Last time had been a red pair she had said and she had described how it had looked against her skin and Nick had nearly come alone from that imagery. He loved her and even though he knew that he had never seen her before he knew that it didn’t matter. She was even without seeing her quite frankly, the sexist thing alive.</p><p><em>“How’s your day been?” </em>she asked.</p><p><em>“Long” </em>Nick replied thinking of the day battling Silva’s son, Elana, Miguel, the boys, the constant undercover work, that nagging feeling in the back of his mind that he might have seen the sister he had let believe he was dead in the market on Sunday. The mission was getting more complicated and while he had known that he was playing the long game he also knew that he was missing the sights and smells of home. He knew his soulmate was stateside. He was angsty to start looking for her. He wasn’t sure how many more birthdays he could live like this.</p><p>
  <em>“I got you a present” </em>
</p><p><em>“Oh yeah” </em>Nick replied with a hint of a smile. <em>“And what are you wearing?” </em> he added. He liked that it was this easy between them, that despite it all she had gotten him gifts for his birthday even knowing that they didn’t meet.</p><p><em>“Oh my present is another piece of lace I think you’ll like”</em> she said catching onto his teasing tone with ease. Nick could almost hear her smile and his heart ached with love, with longing, with the rejection that came time and time again when the connection suddenly broke and he was bereft of this moment.</p><p><em>“Go on” </em> he said and though his tone was teasing his heart wasn’t in it not really. He didn’t want to elaborate, not tonight, not when he had her in his head again. He didn’t want to spoil this one perfect night with the woman he loved more than life. He could break apart tomorrow, he could usually put the sorrow that he knew was coming off until tomorrow and yet he couldn’t and he hated himself for it.</p><p>
  <em>“Red lace again seeing as it was such a favourite last time. But this time It’s a darker red and the lace is darker. One day you’ll see all of the underwear up  close”</em>
</p><p><em>“I’d like that” </em>Nick said truthfully, he didn’t even want to go into how much he would like that. It was like his blood was boiling under his skin just at the thought. He smiled and made an effort. He got two nights a year with this woman he was not going to spoil it now.</p><p>
  <em>“Are…are you alright…sweetheart?” </em>
</p><p>The concern flooding through those words was enough to nearly undo him. The pet name that she had never even thought about using made him smile. He had never been someone’s sweetheart before, and now he had heard it Nick had a strange urge to hear it again for the rest of his life. He swallowed down his feelings and stretched a little feeling the muscles stretch in his back.</p><p><em>“Yeah” </em>he said heavily. <em>“Just my back playing up. It’s been one hell of a week” </em> Actually now he comes to think of it’s not that wild a comment because his back was playing up. Silva was a beast at the boxing rink Nick would give him that and while Nick was quite fit his body was feeling the strain.</p><p>
  <em>“If you want when we finally meet I’ll give you a massage” </em>
</p><p>Nick wanted to make a comment that was half inuendo, perhaps a comment on how she could massage something else but the tone of her voice and the way she was speaking was so full of concern that he couldn’t help but feel his heart melt a little bit more. He was a deep undercover government agent, he was not used to people looking at him like that. He never had been the most open of men when it came to letting people in and yet there was someone out there who Nick would willingly carve his own heart out and offer it on a silver platter as cliché as that sounded.</p><p><em>“You are an angel you know” </em>he said finally. <em>“I honestly don’t know what I ever did to get you in my head. I…I just want to meet you so much, don’t plan on letting you out of my sight or my arms for, certainly a week” </em></p><p>There was a laugh and Nick sighed basking in the sound. He wanted to hear that sound over and over again and he was just about to ask her how her day had been, whether or not she had gotten any new co-workers (he had heard stories of this Tony and how funny he was that made his teeth set on edge—so hopefully nothing that involved him) but before he could answer there was a knock at the door. He started unsure for a second. Nick had specifically asked that nobody disturb him tonight, he had told Elena and all of the men that he was working with. Nobody should be disturbing him and he reached for his shirt and pants and then once dressed reached for his gun.</p><p>
  <em>“Sweetheart?” </em>
</p><p><em>“Someone’s knocking on my door. It’s late and I wasn’t expecting anyone” </em>he said loading the gun and flicking the trigger off so that he could fire it if necessary. There was silence and then another knock this time louder and more insistent and Nick knew whatever it was it was not good.</p><p>
  <em>“Darling?” </em>
</p><p><em>“It’s fine” </em> he said. It was not but there was no point in worrying his soulmate not when there might be a very good explanation for what was going on.</p><p>He opened the door and found himself full of one of Silva’s henchmen, the first blow came as a surprise and then Nick was in full fighting mode. He got the bare bones of what was happening, he understood that his cover was blown and that his sister and niece were in danger.</p><p>That made him snap—Lucia was apart for his soulmate of course—all that he had in this world. He was not prepared for a world without his big sister in it though he knew it had been cruel forcing her to think that he was dead.</p><p>It made him plunge the knife into the man’s stomach with ease.</p><p>It took him a second staring at the body before he realised that he had to get the hell out of Buenos Aires and back to the United States fast. He got what he needed and left not looking back—his rat hole of an apartment had not been much of a home anyway.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He was on the plane before he realised stupid idiot that he was. He had gone into full undercover NCIS operative mode while he had travelled to the airport and gone through security, making sure that he hadn’t been followed, that his alias was still strong. He had done a pretty good job as well he thought and it was only when he allowed that façade to drop did he realise.</p><p>
  <em>“Darling?” </em>
</p><p>Nothing, there was nothing, the connection was broken. Nick looked at his watch and realised that even in the States (where he knew his soulmate was—accents gave a lot away in his game) it was still night. There was no reason for the connection to be broken unless…</p><p>Unless he had given something away and the connection in the fabled way of soulmates had broken of it’s own accord. Unless she had decided she was sick of him always putting her on hold…</p><p><em>“Darling?” </em>he tried again his knee jumping with the stress.</p><p><em>Oh god please. </em>He thought desperately. <em>Please don’t go, please you are my whole world, it’s forever with you. Please baby, please. </em></p><p>Still there was no reply. Nick felt something within him shudder and grind to a stop. She was gone, he was bereft, he was nothing without her.</p><p>And then the litany that he had staved so long to put off began and beat around his head like a cruel drum that just <em>wouldn’t </em>stop.</p><p>
  <em>No. No. No. No. </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And as always feedback is adored. </p><p>See you all for the next chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Only The Brave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ellie wasn’t supposed to be in work today. But finding Nick Torres alive is the best distraction for the all encompassing, hysterical panic that was threatening to consume her.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, so here is another chapter there are only four more or so left and i hope that you enjoy this one and i hope you enjoy the cliff-hanger. </p><p>Disclaimer-Nothing here is mine. </p><p>Spelling/Grammar not the strongest weapon in my arsenal so please keep that in mind.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ellie had gotten the phone call at six in the morning. She had been half hysterical at that point, her hair was straggly around her waist and she was dressed in sweats and there was no point in even attempting to hide the fact that she had been crying until she was sick at one in the morning.</p><p>She had forced herself to answer her phone and McGee had responded with an apologetic, “Hey Bishop sorry to bother you on your day off but we’ve got a case and Gibbs wants everyone in for it—” she when she had gotten sick of it hung up and threw her phone on the bed and went back to staring at the window chewing her nails to the point where her stomach began to heave again.</p><p>The phone had gone again, twice, three times and Ellie had ignored it. She was no use to NCIS right now where she was shaking so much her teeth were chattering.</p><p>There was a pause where she lay there staring as the sunrise came and then she heard her phone buzz again. She opened her eyes and flicked the screen across.</p><p>“Not interested McGee”</p><p>“Hello Bishop”</p><p>Ah Gibbs.</p><p>Ellie sighed and wondered weather or not she had the balls to hang up on Gibbs. It didn’t make a difference she thought bitterly. Knowing Gibbs he would come round and bang on the door until he got board and kicked it down.</p><p>“I have four days off Gibbs” she said and would have winced at how her voice sounded. “Four days and you know that I have it every year around my birthday. It’s never been a problem before and we have cases coming out of our backside”</p><p>There was a pause and then when Gibbs spoke his voice was unusually soft and Ellie wondered if he knew. If he knew why she took time off at her birthday and why she never spoke of what she did. It wasn’t hard, Tony had done it when Ziva had been hiding out in Paris, while Jimmy and McGee were a bit different because they had found their soulmates.</p><p>“I know Bishop but this is a big case. An Admiral and his wife whose a JAG officer, were ran of the road this morning with their fourteen year old daughter, she survived, wife is in a coma and the husband is dead. She’s the sister of an NCIS agent who was confirmed to be dead but is actually alive and I need you to come and speak to the daughter. She’s not responding to me or McGee and I could use a friendly face when I bring this Nicolas Torres in.”</p><p>Ellie closed her eyes. The NCIS Agent in her knew she should go. Knew that she had to go and she would have done had this been any other birthday but the night had not gone as she had expected…she had been halfway in conversation with her soulmate when he had gone to answer the door and then there had been nothing, no connection and no matter how hard Ellie had tried she had not heard that voice back.</p><p>That was when the panic had kicked in, then the pain and then the tears and she had finally stopped at the sunrise and curled up in bed and had been debating weather or not she would ever get out of this bed again.</p><p>“Gibbs—” she wanted to tell him but she had forced to herself over the years not to. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Gibbs she did, in fact more than she should have trusted him. For nearly four years she had put her life in his hands and she had come out of every battle knowing that he was on her side but there were things that she just couldn’t talk about with him and this was one of them. Soulmates were private. She had been raised in a family that considered soulmates to be private. And…and Gibbs had lost his soulmate and his daughter, how could she talk to him about it and drag up all those memories.</p><p>And yet she didn’t think she could put her game face on today. She didn’t think she could do anything today. After all what was the point?</p><p>What was the point of anything or everything after this?</p><p>
  <em>And her next birthday and after that there would be nothing…</em>
</p><p>She had to swallow down the bile that had risen sharply in her throat at that thought. Oh god she was going to be sick. And on the phone with her boss to boot.</p><p>She realised she had been silent too long when Gibbs said his voice still soft but this time tinged with a hint of irritation.</p><p>“Bishop I need my agent in the field. Whatever happens afterwards or before you walk into my office is your own business. If you need to talk you know my door is always unlocked. But right now I need my agent and I need you to do your job.”</p><p>Ellie said nothing for a long pause and then reason won out. Besides she thought bitterly, work was at least a distraction.</p><p>“Give me ten and I’ll meet you at the hospital” was all she said. She hung up the phone on him and then staggered to the bathroom. She didn’t even bother looking at herself in the mirror there was no point, she knew she looked rough as hell.</p><p>She left her hair loose, what was the point in styling it anymore?</p><p>She dressed in a pair of loose jeans and a jumper that she suspected had seen better days but she didn’t care. After all what was the point of getting dressed up anymore?</p><p>She didn’t even bother with food or drink. At this point she doubted she couldn’t keep anything down even if she tried. She grabbed her car keys and got the hospital. She did everything that was required by her by the job description. If she found that she wanted to cry when Amanda cried then that was between her and the teenager who allowed Ellie to hold her hand.</p><p>She made it to the bathroom after the interview and she burst into tears for five minutes before she pulled herself together or at least to the point where she could stand and hold her gun without her hands shaking.</p><p>She had lost him. She had only had him in her life, in her head for maybe six years and she had lost him. Before it had been lonely, she would admit to feeling lonely, she was young, she wanted a wedding and children and a family that she could cook (or at least her mother could cook) Thanksgiving dinner for. She had planned for Christmas, she had planned for slow Sunday mornings were they could make love and holidays in the sun and food that was spicy and rich and would make her fat and a man that would love her despite that. She wanted Friday nights with Netflix and someone she could talk about it when she had to take a life in the line of duty. She wanted all of it and now it was gone. At least before she had the hope of that dream becoming a reality.</p><p>Now she had nothing.</p><p>She wanted to go back to bed and cry again but she dragged herself out of the bathroom and shivered again as she headed back to the base. McGee shot her a rather panicked look when he saw her but mercifully didn’t comment on her rather…well…terrible expression. Gibbs bit his lip a little looking at her but didn’t comment only mentioning that perhaps it might be best when this case was over for her to come to his place and help him make his boat. Ellie nodded but she thought that she when she did eventually finish this case she was not going to go to Gibbs house but rather to her own and she would lie in her bed and sob some more. Already she was clinging to her emotions with everything she had.</p><p>Gibbs went to speak to the director and Jimmy came up. He took one look at Ellie and then disappeared again coming back with a mug of hot chocolate. Ellie stared at him unseeing and unblinking and Jimmy with an expression of utter sympathy (because he had known that it was her birthday and everyone…everyone knew what that meant) had passed her the mug and patted her on her arm and Ellie had, had to look away least she start sobbing on his arm.</p><p>There were several moments where she expected them to ask her what was going on but nobody did and she felt what was left of her heart heave a little in love for the these men who knew that something with her soulmate had gone horribly wrong and yet respected her privacy enough to not ask what that was.</p><p>Apparently, her family had not been the only ones that had abided by the traditional view that the soulmates phenomena and the relationships that came with them should be viewed with the ultimate privacy.  </p><p>She swallowed a little biting back the bile in her throat as Gibbs coming from the direction of the director’s office stared at her a little. She thought that perhaps out of everyone he knew what it was to have a soulmate and then lose that connection.</p><p>There was a pause where she stood there and listened as he told them that Nicolas Torres, Nick as he was known apparently was coming back to Washington DC and he was coming back.</p><p>“Bishop you’re with me”</p><p>She wondered if he knew that she was not to be trusted alone right now. That her concern was nothing more than getting home and then God only knows what she would do then. Perhaps it was best that she went to Gibbs house tonight. Perhaps she could tell him everything and anything. She didn’t even want to do that. But she wanted to run away from her problems. From her soulmate and the pain that came when she thought about losing him and the world that she had thought they could both be alive in.</p><p>“Come on Bishop” was all he said.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>They rode the elevator in silence and then Gibbs flicked the switch and the lift went into silence and darkness.</p><p>“You know” he said staring at the wall. “The first birthday when Sharron…well…I remember waiting and I remember…well…I get it, so please Bishop when the darkness in six months comes to you please come to me. I won’t look at another coffin of another agent draped in a flag”</p><p>And then he flipped the switch and that was the end of the conversation and that was the end of Ellie trying to figure out what to say to him. She looked away and blinked hard. She was not a woman that was overcome by a sentimental moment but she was half on the floor already and her emotions had bottomed out time and time again.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The day was sunny and bright and Ellie waited until the bus pulled to a stop. There were several people getting off but the (admittedly handsome) man that they were looking at (with the eyes that she had to admit were to die for) was not there. She thought that perhaps they had gotten the wrong bus but perhaps Gibbs saw more than she had seen because suddenly she was pushing her towards an ally and Ellie now Bishop, now the NCIS Agent was there unhooking her gun and pretending that she could shoot in a straight line.</p><p>They entered the ally a little too late and Ellie was fully prepared to see the body of their agent on the floor not some man fighting like his life depended on it. She watched as he took down the two men who were more than likely sent there to kill him with an ease that she couldn’t help but admire.</p><p>He turned and she saw him. Nicolas Torres was undoubtably a gorgeous man and had Ellie been another girl in a different time she would have noted that. As it was she could barely function,</p><p>He turned and made a move and she raised her gun as was her instinct.</p><p>“Agent Torres” she said.</p><p>There was a pause as he stared at her and those dark eyes seemed to compress a little as they stared at her and Ellie thought she could drown herself staring at them. But she held firm even though every instinct she had was telling her that something was going to change from the moment that this man opened his mouth.</p><p>“Relax” he said in a drawl that Ellie knew intimately well. “Were on the same side”</p><p>Ellie nearly dropped her gun.</p><p>She knew that voice.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Feedback as always is adored. </p><p>I hope you enjoy this chapter and i will endeavour to bring you the next one sooner rather than later.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Two Sides To Every Story</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Blondie speaks then her gun still raised and there’s something about her that Nick despite it all kinda likes. </p><p>Then she speaks and he feels a yanking behind his back that makes his legs kick out and he realises who is front of him. Of course there’s a case before the elevator ride and the reveal.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, so here is another chapter, for any previous notes please see other chapters because they are mostly the same. </p><p>Disclaimer-Nothing here is mine. </p><p>And stay tuned, because there are only three more chapters of this story left.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nick had been running on auto pilot and extremely bad coffee since Argentina. He had been shivering too though he chalked that down to adrenaline. He was sure he was being followed and he was channelling all of his energy into making sure that he wasn’t.</p><p>It was only a matter of time before Silva or NCIS caught up with him he was hoping for the former. A chance to fight with his fists would clear the mess that was his mind. He was in no mood to be interrogated now.</p><p>He had not heard—</p><p>No he couldn’t go there. He had to stop Silva and then he could crash. Nick gripped onto whatever was keeping him standing with both hands and exited the bus looking around.</p><p>It was typical really, that both NCIS and Silva’s men found him at the same time. He managed to deflect the blows—training from both NCIS and from the undercover world had taught him a few moves and then the man’s voice cut across his line of vision tinged red with grief and loss and pain and other emotions Nick couldn’t even begin to comprehend right now.</p><p>“NCIS!”</p><p>Well better late than never he supposed. He turned and the guns followed him and a part of him wanted, welcomed even a bullet. The other part of him wanted to run away even though that was something he never really did. He wanted to run away from it all. Wanted to run towards the voice wherever it was, whoever she was. He knew she was out there, perhaps waiting for him and he wouldn’t let her down. He couldn’t believe that they had lost the connection forever else he wouldn’t be able to get up off the sidewalk.</p><p>Nick heard the shots but didn’t see the man behind him fall. He turned half in surprise but the shock did him some good. He found that he could face the people in front of him and actually notice them, see them for the first time.</p><p>The man was classic NCIS agent. Nick took him in and noticed the well cut suit even though it was old, the stance and the sheer power radiating off the man. This was not like Davide or Miguel Silva, this was not a man cloaked in arrogance, this was a man who knew he was good at what he did and radiated power in a quietly unassuming way. Nick looked at him and knew that he must command respect within all departments he worked in, and looking at the eyes fixated on him probably a fair bit of fear to boot.</p><p>And then his eyes slid to the woman next to him who was looking behind him towards the man he had knocked unconscious and the one that she and her partner had just shot.</p><p>The shock of seeing her was enough to knock Nick sideways out of his depression. He stared at her in a way that told him he was seeing clearly for the first time since he had lost the—well—.</p><p>She was stunning, actually come to think of it stunning was probably the lesser adjective to describe this woman. Stunning wasn’t even in the right ball park.</p><p>She was blonde, petite with eyes that seemed to speak of things that Nick didn’t know and yet yearned to. Her body was lithe and little and he knew in that moment he looked at her that he could crowd her up against a wall and use his own physic to hide her from sight, block her from danger and the thought sent a little thrill through him. He quashed it down with a small frown turning away from her and feeling just the tiniest bit disloyal even though he knew he didn’t have to. There was nothing wrong with looking at another woman despite knowing that another woman was out there waiting for him, the perfect woman. There was no logical reason for his stomach to twist so painfully.</p><p>And yet it did.</p><p>Oh boy it did.</p><p>“Agent Torres” she said and her voice was perfectly controlled.</p><p>And her voice…</p><p>
  <em>And her voice…</em>
</p><p>He knew that voice.</p><p>That had been the voice had kept him sane in mission after mission, that had been the voice that he had lived for time and time again when he had thought that there wasn’t much for him. When he was tired and aching and bleeding he thought of that voice and the woman that came with it and he thought of home. He thought of a ring on his finger and a white dress and a little house, children even, slow Sunday mornings filled with amazing sex and breakfast, slipping up beside his wife and resting his chin on her shoulder and spending his birthday with the woman that he had thought that he had lost.</p><p>The woman that was clearly standing in front of him.</p><p>And she was <em>beautiful</em>, she was<em> real</em>, she was <em>alive.</em></p><p>Nick thought that he would fall to his knees when that realisation came to him. He found he wanted to, he who had depended for so much of his childhood and his career on standing with two feet planted firmly on the ground wanted to throw himself at this woman’s feet and beg her never to leave him alone again.</p><p>But he couldn’t do that. Just as soon as this awakening had come to him he realised that he still had work to do. That he had to find the men that wanted him dead and then follow them back so that they could cut the head of the snake. Only then would he and (more importantly) this woman in front of him be safe. He had to end Silva, and to that he had to follow NCIS. To do that…to do that he had to carry on and pretend that his world hadn’t gone topsy turvy in seconds.</p><p>So somehow, someway he pulled himself together and managed to force something out of his throat that made him sound charming and not a complete and utter failure as a man and as an Agent.</p><p>“Relax” he said “Were on the same side”</p><p>He saw the woman’s eyes stare at him even as the man muttered something the fact that he didn’t believe that Nick was on any side. His gaze kept flickering between the two of them and he allowed himself to be pulled along back to a car, to the promise of Director Vance and a right telling off Nick was sure.</p><p>“Bishop call McGee and let him know were on our way” the older man and from somewhere Nick remembered that just seconds ago he had introduced himself as Gibbs said shooting Nick a look that told him that he didn’t trust him at all and most certainly he was sure Gibbs had picked up on the fact that he couldn’t stop shooting <em>her </em>looks and <em>she </em>couldn’t look at him whatsoever.</p><p>
  <em>Come on baby look at me, look at me let me see you. Please love. </em>
</p><p>And then it sunk in. He had a name. Not a real name. No. But something.</p><p>Bishop.</p><p>His soulmate was called Bishop.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Two bouts of temper (between himself and Gibbs) a painful meeting with a  teenager who didn’t know him very much as he looked at his still unconscious sister, several run ins with danger, a run in with an ex (thank god Bishop was not there for that), a bomb under his seat and then (finally) a criminal coming in and staying in cuffs and Nick was ready to find the nearest hotel and crash in it. He knew that there was a conversation that needed to happen but he also knew that Bishop (first name Ellie as if that hadn’t sent another warning bell through his head) had steadily not made eye contact with him and at this point Nick was sure she was mad at him.</p><p>Perhaps this was proof that she didn’t want him? And now his punishment was right in front of him. Fate’s well fate for him, a soulmate right in front of him in his direct line of vision and unable to be with her.</p><p>If that was the case then Silva may as well have blown him up right there and then. Certainly it would have been a better, kinder fate.</p><p>Ellie muttered something to Gibbs about taking time off and then turned to Nick who straightened. She looked him in the eye and he noticed with all the appetite of a man who was starving for a glance and a bit of attention.</p><p>“Agent Torres, would you err…would you like me to show you to the base accommodation? It’s not too far out from where I am?”</p><p>Nick nodded. In truth Ellie Bishop could have asked him if he wanted a first person tour of hell and he would have found a way to make it work.</p><p>He followed her to the elevator and got in waiting, it felt like his whole body was thrumming, waiting for something, someone, anything really to break the silence. There was a pause where Ellie stared at him and then she flicked the switch and the elevator shuddered to a stop and was plunged into darkness. Nick stared, waiting, watching. It seemed like everything and anything was waiting on this one moment between the two of them that would either make Nick or destroy him.</p><p>“I’m sorry” Ellie said finally and Nick held his breath convinced he was about to enter his own agony. But she continued before he could speak and he let her terrified suddenly of saying anything that might be misconstrued as wrong.</p><p>“I’m sorry if I was a bit…short with you today. It’s just—” and here she turned to look at him and Nick was suddenly very aware that her eyes were blue and they were tinged with something like desperation.</p><p>
  <em>Please. Please. </em>
</p><p>“It’s my soulmates birthday, well it was yesterday and—”</p><p>But Nick cuts across her, because suddenly, suddenly it doesn’t matter.</p><p>“Darlin” he says and only she could ever pick up on the tremble in his tone (usually reserved for those short, painful moments before the connection between them was cut off for another six months or so).</p><p>“When’s my birthday?”</p><p>As it turns out she doesn’t need more than that.</p><p>As it turns out neither does he.</p><p>And as it turns out fate decides to throw them both a bone.</p><p>Ellie surged forwards her bag dropping to the floor and Nick met her halfway picking her up slightly and wrapping both arms around her, she buried her face in the crook of his neck and he buried his face in her hair and just <em>breathed. </em></p><p>She was crying he realised a second later, her hands roaming paths over his bac as if she was desperate to keep him and Nick let her pulling her closer his mouth finding purchase at her neck pressing desperate kisses against hot skin unable to control himself.</p><p>“It’s alright darling” he said into the mess of blonde hair. “It’s ok, It’s gonna be alright, I’m here, I’m never gonna leave you again”</p><p>Ellie let out a little noise but nodded against his chest and Nick pressed his cheek against her head perfectly content to stand there for the rest of eternity. Nothing in the world has never felt as right as this moment right here.</p><p>“I didn’t know what happened” she confessed her head still buried in his chest. “I didn’t—you were there and then you were gone—”</p><p>Nick let out a wet laugh because the same could be said for her as well. He had gone to hell and back trying to get this woman back in his life. He was not prepared to let go now. He was never prepared to let go.</p><p>“Easy there sweetheart” he mutters into the mass of blonde curls. “Easy there, Ellie. I’m here”</p><p>“Nick” comes the reply and Nick finds himself nearly melting at the sound of his name.</p><p>They stay there together for a long time or so it seems—who knows perhaps it was only several seconds. All he knew was that he was with his soulmate and nothing else mattered but that.</p><p>“You want me to go to the base?” he asked quietly. He hasn’t kissed her even though every bone in his body aches to. Nick had a very strong sense that everything from this moment forwards would be different and would be commanded by her. By them. By their lives together</p><p>“No” Ellie said again pulling back and watching him with her blue eyes that Nick could quiet happily drown in.</p><p>“No I want you to come home with me—we don’t have to do anything. But I need to sleep and I need you with—I need you—”</p><p>He understands, he understands everything that she is trying to tell him.</p><p>“I understand” he says though admittedly he doesn’t know weather or not it is to her or to himself but Nick thinks it doesn’t matter now. The focus of the world as he knows it is this woman in his arms.</p><p>“Take me home then” he says and he is rewarded with a smile that was worth it’s weight in gold, it’s price unpriceable and he finds that as she flicks the switch and they descend downwards he’s still holding her hand, the world is still turning and he Nick Torres has found and has kept his soulmate.</p><p>There is nothing he thinks in a dreamy kind of way he once would have insisted he would never adapt (but here he is) that is better than this.</p><p>Ellie smiles at him again. Nick thinks that he might have to rethink that. It’s ok. Now the world is full of possibilities.</p><p>He cannot wait.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And as always feedback is adored. </p><p>And as always a massive thank you to all of you who have commented so far, it is beyond gratifying.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. I Don't Want To Lose You Yet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>They get back to her apartment and Ellie shivers a little. Tonight is the night that everything will change—or Ellie and Nick in the aftermath of finding each other. </p><p>Some slightly/potentially M Rated moments.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi so here is another chapter, thank you all so much for waiting patiently and thank your for your kind reviews. I know you had to wait a long time for this one so i hope it meets with your expectations. </p><p>Disclaimer-Nothing is mine, </p><p>Please Read and Review. </p><p>And there might be some potentially, almost, slightly M Rated moments or at least leaning towards.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They got back to the apartment—to her apartment in silence. Nick wrapped one hand around her own when and she revelled in the simple touch. She drove in silence her eyes on the road but he couldn’t seem to take her eyes off her. How Ellie got back to the apartment and parked her car neatly she did not know but soon enough she was back at her complex and was opening the door letting him follow her in the elevator, down the corridor and into the room.</p><p>Ellie winced a little as she caught sight of the place. She had left it the same way it was the day before when she had been dragged out of bed by a phone call that she had thought would delay her doing something stupid and had in fact given her new life and purpose. The counter was still littered in food and empty bottles, she knew the sheets were a mess in the bedroom. She didn’t even think about the bathroom. She bit her lip turning as Nick shut her door and locked the chain old habits she supposed as an undercover hard to crack and she watched him take in her apartment in all it’s glory.</p><p>“Sorry for the mess” she said. She didn’t know if she was actually talking about the apartment or her life at this point but it was a point well made. Nick looked at her again, actually come to think of it she was not sure if he had ever not taken his eyes off her and his gaze was very warm. Ellie could feel her knees weaken and desire swoop through her lower belly. God she wanted him so bad she was aching for it. Years of unfulfilled desire was taking over her body, every inch of her being consumed by it and yet while she had had sex, while she was practised as a lover she felt as nervous as a virgin about to have awkward sex with her prom date in the back of her dad’s car. She shook her head at that example. Now was really not the time to be thinking things up on the fly.</p><p>“It’s not a mess. Hell I think I left my apartment with a dead body in it so believe me when I say this is paradise”</p><p>Ellie giggled and she watched as he followed that movement the small smile on his face at the sound. He dropped his bag at the floor and Ellie suddenly felt the nerves come back.</p><p>“Would you like to shower?” she asked finally. “I could order some pizza?”</p><p>“Oh god yes” Nick said stretching. Ellie saw a bit of tan skin around his waist that she knew without looking too much that she would soon see abs. She felt her mouth go dry.</p><p>“You want anything on it?” she asked finally.</p><p>“All the fattening things in the world” was the response she got. She imagined he was already trying out her shower. The groan that she overheard as his body hit a spray of warm water for the first time in days was enough to make desire flood through her so much so she was sure she might have accidentally moaned when the pizza delivery guy asked her if she wanted cheesy crust.</p><p>She hung up and due to her fabulous connections with the pizza guy and other take outs across Washington it got there just before Nick got out the shower. He came out dressed just in a towel and she nearly dropped the box on the floor as she stared bug eyed.</p><p>Nick was…<em>stunning. </em>If beautiful was an adjective that could be applied here he was clearly that too. She had been right when she had thought just by looking at him that he had been the walking definition of every wet dream she had, had—indeed he was more. He had come out clad only in a towel and Ellie who never turned down food (more specifically pizza) in her life suddenly felt the urge to lie him down on her bed and take her fill.</p><p>He caught her looking and while she did not know what expression was on her face (hopefully something more than sheer lust) she watched as he blushed adorably. He met her eyes head on and Ellie couldn’t help herself.</p><p>“Your beautiful”</p><p>As soon as the words were out of her mouth she wanted to kick herself but Nick didn’t seem to mind. In fact he blushed harder and seemed to preen a little under the praise.</p><p>“You should see yourself” he said finally and Ellie grinned.</p><p>They ate in silence. Nick thew on a pair of boxers and a shirt and gave Ellie near heart failure at the sight of those wonderfully muscular thighs that she wanted (with a sudden, powerful thud of desire) wrapped around her waist as he thrust into her. Ellie meanwhile went for a pair of shorts herself and an old jumper that she was sure she’d had since college and was rewarded with that blush again that she was sure she was going to do whatever, whenever to see again.</p><p>There was another heartbeat of pause as she cleaned up and then Nick wiped his eyes and said in a voice that was so quiet she had to strain to hear it—</p><p>“Ellie?”</p><p>“Yeah?” she asked turning around after disposing of the box and the napkins.</p><p>“Can we…can we go to bed now?”</p><p>She could see exhaustion written on his face. Indeed she knew she was exhausted too. Right now she was battling two different types of adrenaline (from finding her soulmate and closing down a rather complicated case) and she was still exhausted from the night before. Besides she knew tonight while everything was too raw and too real what he was asking.</p><p>“Sure” she said she folded her lip between her teeth.</p><p>“Just to sleep yeah? Cause I don’t know about you but I’m beat and—and I just really need to feel you, you know?” she said trying to communicate the mess that was her emotions right now.</p><p>Nick nodded with that gentle smile and then held out a hand. Ellie took it feeling that spark again between the two of them whenever they touched and she leaned into him breathing in the scent of his skin underneath his shirt and the hard muscles, the hard line, the firmness of his body.</p><p>“Tonight we sleep” Nick muttered in her hair. “And tomorrow when we are ourselves again I am going to lay you down on that bed of yours and make you scream”</p><p>Ellie shivered. The words were a dark promise and she felt so high strung she couldn’t stop herself from pressing against him. Nick let out a soft moan and then took his shirt off dropping it to the floor. Ellie followed suit as she followed him to her bedroom ridding herself of her clothes until they were both in underwear. She had the distinct pleasure of seeing both his eyes widen and the bulge in his boxers grow when he saw her in the red bra and panties she had worn intending to save them for him. It was blood red, a lot of lace and low plunging with a front clasp bra and she was sure she’d spent more on the matching set than she had done for the whole of her underwear during college.</p><p>“Wait” he said with a flicker of amusement and that teasing grin back on his face. “Was this supposed to be my birthday present?”</p><p>Ellie grinned and then before she could remark on the cheesiness of the situation she said the first thing that came to her mind—a habit she seemed to be doing frequently when she was around him—“Do you want to unwrap me”</p><p>Nick stared at her and then Ellie started laughing. He laughed to and then came over as if he was no longer unsure of himself. He took her into his arms and she rested her head on his shoulder feeling the lace press against the muscle that was his chest and feeling herself shiver with the contact. <em>God</em> he was warm.</p><p>Nick’s hands found the small of her back and then they spread upwards to the clasp of her bra or where it would be if it was there. Ellie had a moment of pure pleasure watching him struggle and then she moved back a little moving to the front and with a sense of bravado she did not exactly feel she popped the clasp and let the bra fall to the ground. They were only going to sleep, there was nothing sexual going to happen tonight and Ellie’s skin was burning with the need to have skin to skin contact.</p><p>But there was something more than that. Tonight would be the night where everything would change, were they would see each other for the first time and she thought that there had never been a night like this for her ever.</p><p>Nick stared at her for a second and when he looked back up at her his pupils were almost blown. She felt another sliver of desire and a part of her wished that he would just take her back to bed and never let her go but the other part of her just wanted to sleep.</p><p>Nick shed his clothes easily, she shed her panties and they were stood there for a long heartbeat naked and gazing at the other, gentle touches, light grazes of fingertips upon heated skin and then Ellie led them to the bed pulling Nick on top of her and pressing her skin into his burying her face in the crook of his neck as he reached for the light and the covers so that the room was plunged into darkness.</p><p>Suddenly she was hyper aware of him. She was hyper aware that he was half on top of her, that her body was accommodating him in her arms and that Nick was tapping his fingers against the hollow of her collarbone and she dropped her hand so that it was on his thigh.</p><p>“You are beautiful” Nick said into her hair. “I knew you would be but fuck me you are hot. And your mine.”</p><p>There was something in his tone that was half teasing, half wonder and Ellie who was not a sentimental woman felt her eyes blur again with tears. There was a pause where she lay there and she felt like crying though she knew that they were happy tears.</p><p>“I don’t quite believe this” Nick said finally as they lay there, his head nuzzled a little at her neck and Ellie stretched a little under the soft touch of his hands. “I didn’t believe you were out there waiting, I thought you had given up on me when I felt you disappear.”</p><p>“I am never going to go away again” Ellie said running a hand against the hard line of his jaw, against the harsh stubble that was grazing it. Stubble that she loved (and was it even possible to love stubble?), stubble that certainly she wanted against the inner contours of her thigh.</p><p>“Still doesn’t feel real” Nick said finally and Ellie could emphasise. She reached out to touch his jaw again and this time his lips followed her hand. At this time if it had been twenty four hours previous as dawn was gracing the sky in all it’s evil colours she would be busy trying to convince her soulmate (and herself by comparison) that nearly six months was enough time when you thought about work and other events, that it was fine if you wanted to move onto to someone new and that there love for each other would grow with each passing day.</p><p>And now she had none of that. Now she had her future mapped out in front of her and she found herself lying with her soulmate in her arms and she never wanted to let him go.</p><p>“I love you” she said finally. “And when we wake up, if this is not a dream I will love you all over again”</p><p>Nick kissed her hair again and she knew that he was imprinting this touch to memory. After all as difficult as it sounded to any outsider, they were still nervous that the dawn would break and this morning would see the end of this reunion. However despite it all Ellie found her eyelids growing heavy and she fell, tumbling and turning into the deep abyss of sleep, her soulmate slumbering next to her, both of them clinging on as if the early morning sunlight would tear them apart.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And as always feedback is adored, and i will try and get the penultimate chapter up soon.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Two Sparrows In A Hurricane</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nick and Ellie adjust to the new normal of their lives and try to figure out where they go from here. </p><p>Penultimate chapter of this story. M Rated Moments and some soft, soft mentions of smut.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi all, so here is the penultimate chapter of this story, and i intend to get it done before xmas so please keep watch for the final chapter. </p><p>This chapter does include some rather badly written soft smut i'm afraid. Not entirely sure how it turned out like it did but there you are, next chapter might be a smaller chapter as it is a bit of an epilogue. </p><p>Disclaimer-None of this is mine just this little plot. </p><p>Please let me know what you think and as always any spelling and grammar mistakes are entirely my own and i do apologise for them.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When he woke up it took a second before he realised. For one second he had thought that he was waking up and the world would once again be dull and lifeless and the dream that he had been dreaming where he had found his soulmate and how they had curled up together in her bed was nothing more than that, a dream.</p><p>It took the weak Washington sun to remind him where he was. He was not in his apartment in Argentina. He was not waking to an empty bed and a body that felt like it had been gutted inside and out with a rusty spoon. There was someone holding him and he was resting his head between neck and collarbone of a female.</p><p>And then it came back to him.</p><p>Ellie.</p><p>He took a second to grin at the ceiling like an idiot and then he went to relieve himself in the bathroom. He came back and crawled into bed crawling under the covers again. She was still asleep and her blonde hair was flowing out behind her hitting the early morning sun and sending light flickering across the golden strands so that it was ablaze. The cold make him shiver a little and he buried himself a little bit closer to her his hand finding the soft skin of her hip, letting his fingers tap against the bone and the flesh. Gently so not to disturb her he lifted the covers a little so he could get a look at her body, so he could seer into his memory what actual fucking perfection looked like.</p><p>She was slender but not skinny, there was a softness to her that did not come from hard workouts but a love of food and a small smattering of stretch marks from jeans or something that Nick wanted to press kisses to. She had strong legs and arms, tiny muscles that looked as if they had been built up slowly as if her job before NCIS had not required much of a workout routine. Nick was sort of a connoisseur of that after all. Workouts were how he made the time pass away in between birthdays. Six to nine months of the year with nothing to do but wonder. And now…</p><p>And now he never had to do that again.</p><p>It was a strange feeling, like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Nick wondered there and then if he would ever get used to it. To this feeling of utter happiness swelling up inside him like a balloon. Of course he knew that there were somethings that had to be figured out when dawn came with more intensity but for now it was like he was hooked on a drug and he was finally being presented with the haul right in front of him. He never wanted to take his eyes off the body in front of him and so he went back to his careful looking determined to commit it all to memory.</p><p>(A lifetime of hearing her voice and then having it snatched away was enough to make a man want to take what he could get when he could)</p><p>The creamy skin gave way breasts that were small but perfect and he felt the sudden urge to run one warm thumb across the flesh and see if goosebumps would appear. Down over the soft stomach and then to blonde curls darker than her hair and legs that were strong and lean and he knew he wanted wrapped around his waist for the rest of his life.</p><p>The body gave a little shift and Nick looked up to see Ellie awake watching him. Far from being disappointed or disapproving she looked rather amused.</p><p>“See something you like?” she asked by way of a greeting and Nick slid his leg a little closer to hers as she reached out and ran a hand down his jawline feeling it in a gesture that made something inside him melt like a teenager on his first date. He grinned not even bothering to apologise and she giggled a little her other hand pulling him closer into the mound of duvet and blankets and sheets.</p><p>Nick followed. As sappy as it sounded he thought he would follow this woman anywhere.</p><p>“Don’t you have work?” he asked shifting so that he was back on his side and their legs were tangled together—really there was no way he could relax unless there was some part of him touching her—Ellie shook her head.</p><p>“I took time off, well I take time off every year you see and I don’t think Gibbs will mind if I take some more. I think he knew before either one of us did”</p><p>Nick wasn’t surprised really.</p><p>Ellie’s stomach took that moment to growl and she blushed folding her lip within her teeth in a way that shot desire straight to Nick’s groin area so fast it was almost dizzying “Bed day?” she asked innocently and Nick laughed because he had never thought of anything so perfect and he was no blushing virgin either.</p><p>“I can make breakfast and then I want to take you back here to this bed and fulfil another promise” he said sliding a hand downwards so it was just resting on her hipbone. Ellie gave a little gasp of satisfaction and Nick was tempted just to do it here and now but he knew from experience under cover that hunger never really went away it only got worse. Of course his hunger was in two parts as well. It would be best if he solved one problem before he moved onto another.</p><p>“I don’t have a lot in” Ellie said her face scrunching adorably. So adorably in fact that Nick couldn’t help the small kiss he placed where her brow crumpled. Again she gave that little sigh of satisfaction and her hands which had currently been resting on his shoulders tightened a little, her nails digging in in a way that had his desire only increase and grow.</p><p>“You got eggs and bread?”</p><p>“Yeah”</p><p>“Then I think that I can potentially rustle up scrambled eggs and toast. And then once I’ve kept my other promise we can go shopping for food. I haven’t had American home grown produce in years”</p><p>Ellie sat up the sheets bunching around her waist and then she kissed him. Nick’s response might have been a tad <em>enthusiastic </em>but honestly could you blame him? He had a hard time thinking of this as real.</p><p>Actually it might have ended up with them ignoring breakfast for at least an hour of so as they made out like teenagers on the bed. It was slow, it was steady and it was perfect…until there was another growl of hunger.</p><p>Ellie gave another little giggled smothered somewhat by the fact that her face was in his shoulder, her fingertip traced the edge of a scar he had gotten on his back at some point during the last decade when he had been chasing a dirt bike gang through the streets of LA, or perhaps it had been during the knife fight in Honduras. Who knew, who cared?</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>They went to the kitchen only when the hunger had been to much for either one to ignore anymore. Even then they scoffed hot scrambled eggs straight from the plate almost burning their tongues a little in order to rush back to the bed before the sheets lost their warmth.</p><p>This time however they were hungry for a different reason and the kisses that were shared between them were more intense, more passionate than anything that they had shared before. He ran a hand down her front feeling almost every corner of her skin until his hand found the place where he wanted and then he crooked a finger inside her and was rewarded with the most amazing little gasp. He watched her reactions mostly as he added a second finger and saw her head fall back the blonde hair spilling over the pillows and her hand finding his shoulder her nails digging in.</p><p>It was not what he wanted, not the in-depth kind of lovemaking that he was desperate for, but Nick was slowly beginning to realise that they had time. That he had time. The days where they made love through the connection, where he would talk and be rewarded with those little gasps but nothing much more were gone. The days were every second with this woman had to be grabbed with both hands like little grains of sand were gone.</p><p>Ellie leaned backwards her eyes closed an expression on her face of utter bliss and Nick couldn’t help the surge of pride that ran through him like water. He could not help it he was a man after all and the woman he loved, his soulmate, the woman that fate had decreed would make him happy (and never had they been this right before) was gasping his name with such pleasure that he wanted to never let this moment go. He wanted to carry on in this little bubble where he didn’t know anything beyond this bed, beyond the woman in his arms gasping his name.</p><p>She came as beautifully as she had in his dreams throwing one leg over his hip a little and creating a moan that Nick chased down with a kiss. Ellie gripped him a little and then opened her eyes with a soft smile, dazed almost and Nick grinned kissing her again and again.</p><p>Never he thought to himself, never would he tire of this.</p><p>They did get around to the actual physical act of making love around lunchtime. Nick had never considered the act worthy of the name before. Crude as it was fucking had always been the easiest term for the woman that had come before Ellie. It would never be the same for anything that came afterwards.</p><p>Now it was lovemaking, making love, whatever it was when he entered her and he saw her head tilt backwards again and he reached for her as she reached for him and they moulded their mouths together again, their bodies, their souls almost. Nick allowed himself to get swept away with all the emotions that had been gathering inside him since that nightmare how many days ago?—when he had thought that he had lost Ellie to the void that took Soulmates, the trick of fate that ensured that they never found each other again.</p><p>It was a heady feeling, with Ellie, being with her in this way, being inside her in this way. It was a full feeling, like everything had come to this point, to this woman and Nick kissed her again feeling their tongues mesh together as first she came and then he did and he didn’t ever want to let her go, let this moment go, let the woman in his arms stop gasping his name in his ear or stop pulling at the dark short strands of his hair. He wanted to keep her here in his arms forever, in this bed forever and the warmth that came with the sheets and the closed door.</p><p>She flipped them with a surprising amount of strength so that she was leaning her had on top of him and she was back to tracing the scars on his shoulder again.</p><p>“Better than you imagined?” Nick said in an effort to get the teasing tone back in his voice and he was rewarded with a laugh.</p><p>“Better” Ellie said leaning up so that she was watching his face her hair in her face.</p><p>“Much better”</p><p>Nick grinned in satisfaction banging his head against the pillow. It was always nice he supposed to know that he had pleased his soulmate.</p><p>“What happens now?” he asked finally into the silence. “I mean what do we do now?”</p><p>Ellie was silent for a long time as if she was thinking on it.</p><p>“I know” she said finally. “And yet I don’t know. All I know is that come tomorrow and the next day and the day after that we are going to be together. And I don’t care about anything other than that”</p><p>Nick said nothing but he tilted her head up and kissed her again.</p><p>They did not need to say it.</p><p>If felt like the message was understood.</p><p>They were together, forever.</p><p>And tomorrow was just another day.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Feedback is as always adored and i will do my best to bring you the next and final chapter before the holidays. </p><p>As always wherever you are stay safe x.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. When There's Fire In Your Hearts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>An epilogue and an ending. </p>
<p>Ellie and Nick celebrate their first milestone as soulmates with a simple night in, a revelation and a question being asked. </p>
<p>Set around the end of Season 14. Some AU with events and characters.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, so here is another chapter, the final chapter! I am so glad to be able to finish this story for you and have it done in time for Christmas. </p>
<p>A MASSIVE THANK YOU, to all of you for reading this story, giving me Kudos, for sticking with it and for your kind words. It means more than i can say. I have so many ideas for this wonderful couple and i will come back and write more. </p>
<p>Disclaimer-Nothing here is mine, and any spelling and grammar mistakes are my own.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ellie felt the bubble of glee in her throat but she forced it down. It would not do to let the bubble of excitement escape at this point, she had kept it secret for a week or so (though she knew Nick had picked up on the changes in her behaviour) and she wanted to keep it that way.</p>
<p>She had booked the time off after a conversation with Vance who had grinned at her and wished her well and had promised that he would not process the request until she had, had the chance to tell Nick. She suspected Gibbs knew as well though he was subtle about it. He had been almost sanguine about sending Nick and McGee on the case with help from Quinn who was still finishing out the last couple of days and then he had asked Ellie to help Abby with the research and interview witness which she supposed was easily explained by the fact that their witness had requested a woman to speak to about her dead husband.</p>
<p>But as she packed her bag up that night she found she was grinning. Nick had gone a bit earlier taking time off claiming that Lucia had asked him for her help. Ellie who knew her soulmates sister knew that Amanda her daughter had just started going out with a boy and knowing Nick he was probably off in the state of the art JAG office using his NCIS credentials to get a background check done. Vance tended to frown on using office computers though Ellie knew he had done one for his own kids nanny’s, Kayla’s boyfriend and most of the teachers at the college she was going to in the fall.</p>
<p>That was good though as that gave her time to get back to her apartment.</p>
<p>A year ago Nick had moved in and had simply not moved out, not that the living together had been hard. It was a general rule of thumb that once the soulmates found each other then it was generally all smooth sailing (at least on the relationship side), of course there had been fights and there had been shouts and tears and the slamming of doors. They were a couple what did they expect?</p>
<p>“Actually Ellie” her mother had said when Ellie had rang her in tears convinced Nick was going to leave her after the first time.</p>
<p>“If you and Nick didn’t have fights I’d think there was something wrong with both of you, your soulmates not saints. Even your father and I have the occasional fight, hell George and Beth can be heard over the whole state when they get going!”</p>
<p>That had soothed Ellie like nothing else had, only to be topped by Nick coming back looking very hang dog and the night of utter insane passionate sex that they had to make up for it. By the time they had finally called it quits and gone to sleep Ellie was not sure if she could move her own legs which she knew was very much how Nick liked it when that happened. When she was breathless and aching and full of love.</p>
<p>This night she was hoping for the same.</p>
<p>It was strange, this time last year she would be going home from work too, getting all excited, she might take some time to take a bath, have a good strong coffee and make herself some dinner and then wait for Nick to come through their connection.</p>
<p>This year she did not have to.</p>
<p>Nor did she have to live through that dreaded nightmare when he had been cut off from her head and she had been left destitute and restless wondering weather or not she was going to survive the next week, the next day, the next hour.</p>
<p>In fact this year she had to do none of that, including the painful process of goodbye when the dawn light filtered through the window and took Nick away from her for another six months was still dizzying. And it was good that she could not lose him again—brilliant even—if there was even a word to describe this feeling. Because now Ellie had a secret for him and she was utterly delighted so much so that she gave a little giggle in the elevator that took her up to her apartment.</p>
<p>Nick was already there. Ellie wasn’t surprised. He had a way of getting back to the apartment before she was even there. She chalked a lot of it down to Nick driving like he was still being chased by hundreds of armed felons though as he told her, the traffic laws in most of the other countries he had been in made it easier for him drive as he wanted too.</p>
<p>All of that was going to change now too she supposed dropping her keys on the table.</p>
<p>“Hey” Nick said beaming at her from where he was peering at something over the stove. “I was just cooking dinner.”</p>
<p>“Smells fantastic” Ellie replied enthusiastically because It did, oh boy did it smell fantastic. They had found out pretty early on in their relationship that Nick was the better cook between them and while Ellie had thought she was doing pretty well Nick had took one look in her cabinet and told her that she had no idea what constituted proper seasoning and that simple salt and pepper were not enough to make a decent dish of food.</p>
<p>“What is it?”</p>
<p>“Relax it’s just enchiladas, and I’ve kept the chilli count low for you”</p>
<p>Ellie grinned shifting out of her jacket and moving to the bedroom so she could get even more comfortable. She was not in the mood for jeans right now, actually she was not in the mood for a bra right now, all she wanted to do was to get out of these clothes and curl up on the couch.</p>
<p>But there was one more thing to do, she reached into her bag and pulled out the little present. It was thin and angular and she had spent time cleaning it and wrapping it up. It would be obvious what it was once Nick opened it and she found that she was excited. It might not be the news that he was hoping for, certainly they had not discussed it the two of them, but Ellie hoped that he would be as thrilled with it as she was.</p>
<p>Because in all honestly she was not sure what she was going to do if he wasn’t.</p>
<p>She came back out to see dinner on the table. She pulled her hair up into a high ponytail (well as high as the shorter hair could get) and then sat down as Nick was dishing up.</p>
<p>“Damn Ellie”</p>
<p>Ellie grinned. She was wearing an old dress shirt that she knew was his from his days undercover and that he never wore anymore (Nick’s sense of style was nothing more than jeans and a t-shirt that made it hard on many, many days for Ellie to concentrate) and it was blue coming down to her thigh where she had not bothered to wear anything else other than her panties and some old slipper socks.</p>
<p>“Consider it revenge. You know damn well what you do to me when you strut through the office in t-shirts that you know are too small for you”</p>
<p>“Strut?!” Nick cried trying to go for offense, but the pleased look on his face and heat on his cheeks told her otherwise.</p>
<p>“Ah Ellie babe, I never strut”</p>
<p>“Please” Ellie said reaching for the first enchilada and dumping it on her plate—making sure she had a copious amount of cheese covering it—“You know damn well that you do. You know HR frowns on having sex in the bathrooms as well”</p>
<p>“Like we’d do that…probably catch something. Plus it’s a bit difficult to imagine it when you tell me that there is a rumour that Tony and Ziva had reunion sex in there”</p>
<p>Ellie laughed. Ziva had come out of hiding a year during the year they had been together, Tony had come all but streaking back into the NCIS bullpen to be with her and a gruelling race had been on to try and keep her, her daughter and Tony safe from the criminal that wanted her dead. It had been tough and it had involved a hell of a gunfight but in the end they had succeeded and the three of them had gone to Paris for some family time turning in their badges, their guns and whatever crap they carried from their time in the service and had as far as Ellie knew not looked back.</p>
<p>Tim and Delilah were also in a good place. Delilah was pregnant with twins and they were happy. Even Abby had managed to get some happiness though she had yet to meet her soulmate. Alex Quinn was taking some time off to look after her mother but she intended to come back and their newest addition a British MI5 officer by the name of Clayton Reeves was also a welcome addition. Jimmy was still happy, Ducky still happy and Vance happy as well—well not likely to fire them all for disobeying orders which was a good thing, all things considering.</p>
<p>It was a good time to be in NCIS. It was a good time in their lives.</p>
<p>They were happy.</p>
<p>Ellie ate with gusto because she was starving and also because of the secret. She drank some water ignoring the glass of wine Nick had poured and she knew that it was only a matter of time before he would pick up on it. He had a habit of picking up on everything and anything that she did differently. She supposed it was half of the soulmate thing and half of what made Nick a great investigator.</p>
<p>“Something wrong?” he asked finally. Ellie took another sip of water and bit her lip a little nipping the flesh with her teeth.</p>
<p>“Well I got you a birthday present” she said smiling and reaching for the little box. “And I was kinda hoping you’d like it”</p>
<p>“Hey if you got it for me I’m sure I’d love it” Nick said reaching for the box.</p>
<p>“Well…you remember when I was sick a couple of weeks ago and couldn’t keep any food down?” at Nick’s nod she continued. “Well it took me a while to put two and two together and I had to take four of them to make sure that I was right but I am…confirmed it at the doctor’s and everything—” but she was cut off as Nick who had patiently listened to her rambling had stopped looking at her as he had finally opened her little present and seen what was inside.</p>
<p>For a moment he was staring and Ellie was sure either her heart was going to stop or his was and then he lifted out the pregnancy test with it’s two positive lines and stared between her and the test with wide eyes.</p>
<p>“Pregnant?” he asked finally. Ellie nodded. Nick stared at her again.</p>
<p>“Were pregnant?”</p>
<p>“Yeah we are” she said feeling tears come though she did not know why—they seemed to come easily these days.</p>
<p>“Are you happy?”</p>
<p>“Am I hap—? Ellie! Were having a baby!”</p>
<p>And with that he crossed the table in less than half a stride, picked her up and spun her around and Ellie laughed her hands coming around to thread her fingers in his hair and she kissed him.</p>
<p>There was nothing better than this feeling right here.</p>
<p>Nothing.</p>
<p> </p>
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<p>Turns out <em>one</em> more thing could top it.</p>
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<p>They were in bed cuddled up together when Nick spoke. His hand had found her belly and it had stayed there through most of the night his thumb stroking the still flat and soft skin as if he could reach through and touch their baby. Ellie grinned snuggling up close to him.</p>
<p>“Marry me” Nick said finally into the darkness. Ellie sat up gazing at him and Nick brushed back a wave of blonde hair that had cascaded down into her face with the movement.</p>
<p>“One day, someday, any day, before the baby is born, afterwards, I don’t mind just tell me that you will do me the extreme honour of being my wife”</p>
<p>Ellie stared at him and then when she kissed him, too overwhelmed to speak it was as soft and light as a feather.</p>
<p>“Yes” she said against his mouth. “Yes I will”</p>
<p>Nick kissed her again and they carried on like that for a while before Ellie spoke again.</p>
<p>“I better have a good engagement ring from you”</p>
<p>Nick huffed a laugh close to her chin and pulled her (if such a thing was possible) closer to him. Ellie rested her head against his shoulder again breathing in the smell of him. He kissed her atop her head and she felt her eyes drift shut. She had her soulmate, she had a baby, she had a perfect man beside her who would fight for her and never let her go.</p>
<p>In this moment, on this night, she Eleanor Ray Bishop (soon to be Torres) was happy. Completely and utterly happy.</p>
<p>And so she let herself drift into a perfectly small and endless part of her happiness.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Feedback is as always adored. </p>
<p>Again a massive thank you to all of you who have given me encouragement with this story. I wish you all a very Merry and safe Christmas and I will be back to this wonderful fandom soon.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And please let me know what you think. Feedback is always adored.</p><p>And i will do my best to update sooner rather than later.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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